How aloe can you go

May 12,2011

Last night was Mayfest night at CJ's school.   I know you are picturing a maypole, streamers, fair maidens all in a row, and lambs eating ivy; but that was not what it was.  It was an event for the 5th through 8th graders to run around, eat ice cream (Graeters), and cause general havoc.  Meanwhile the middle school choirs and bands put on performances.  There was even an impromptu flash mob.  That is probably redundant, but the whole flash mob concept is new to me.  We did not have a lot of flash mobs back in my day.  The only flash we had wore a red suit with lightning on the front, and mobs involved numbers running and cement shoes.

 I can really paint a historical picture with my words.  Takes you right back there, don't it?

Nonetheless, the performances were interesting and the weather was dry (something to be said for that these days), and I really enjoyed watching the 8th grade band.  There are only two percussionists in the band, CJ and Jack, so they each have to play several instruments during each piece.  Gotta be on their toes, those two.

Apparently, the 8th grade teachers did not see the schedule regarding Mayfest, as CJ had the most homework he has had in weeks.  Couple that with the fact that he had an after school activity which lasted until 5:00, and homework wasn't being wrapped up until 11:00.  I think Beth even did some of the math problems for him (allegedly), so I hope she got them correct.  Actually, Beth was a tremendous help to CJ by helping him understand radicals (math, not politics), and helping him look up information for his science homework.  Beth gets a gold star for last night.

As I said before, the weather last night was dry.  However, it was also very humid.  Here in our town, we go straight from early Spring to late Summer.  There are rarely those light, breezy, comfortable Spring days that I love so much.  Yesterday was mid 80s and humid.  Therefore, when CJ arrived home from band practice, he had hisself a case of the prickly heat.  Heat rash, some people call it, though he really wasn't all that rashy.  He was just in itchy misery.  We told him to go take a shower, but forgot to tell him to not take his usual hot water til your skin melts off shower.  Thus, the shower did not fix the itchy.  It wasn't until we stopped at the drug store on the way to Mayfest and bought some aloe lotion that he found relief.  As the lotion was being applied, we noticed that he was wearing the same boxers that he slept in last night and had worn the day before.  14 year-old boys.  Hygiene much?  Garsh.

The whole Mayfest ended on a happy note when we were walking to our cars.  The three of us walked past the Taylor family, otherwise know as the family of CJ's girl friend, and neither Beth nor myself said a word to them.  They do not truly "date", so family contact is not allowed.  I looked at CJ as we cleared the contact zone and asked if mom and I got points for our behavior.  He looked relieved and did not even play it off as something he had being fretting about.  He gave us each an appreciative, yet surprised, look of thanks. 

I do not know what history there is of us embarrassing him in public.  I should be happy he does not have his own blog or I may have the answer to this question and more.